Articulated yokes for use in universal-joint propeller shafts serve to provide the coupling between a machine element on the drive side and a machine element on the take-off side. To this end, they have at least one leg member which can be coupled to the machine element on the drive side or take-off side and bearing parts for supporting the journal of a differential-pinion shaft used for torque transmission. The articulated yoke can be in one part or a plurality of parts, preferably two parts in the form of two yoke halves, each comprising a leg member and a bearing part. Mountings for journals of differential-pinion shafts in the articulated yoke or in the individual yoke halves are known in a plurality of embodiments for a variety of examples of use. In this context, reference is made to the following representative publications:    1. Offprint, Voith, Forschung und Konstruktion [Research and Design], Vol. 33 (1989, Essay 10, “Entwicklung wälzgelagerter Gelenkwellen für die Hauptantriebe schwerer Walzgerüste” [“Development of roller-mounted universal-joint propeller shafts for the main drives of heavy roll spans]”)    2. DE 35 44 253 C1    3. DE 34 46 495 C2
These publications disclose embodiments of universal-joint arrangements for universal-joint propeller shafts in which, for the disposal of the differential-pinion propeller shaft in the articulated yoke, the bearing arrangement provided therefor comprises at least one radical bearing and, preferably, an axial bearing in addition. The radial bearing is designed as a roller bearing and comprises at least one inner and one outer ring, these forming the respective running tracks for the roller members. The problems of these bearing arrangements for the journals of differential-pinion shafts of universal-joint propeller shafts substantially lie in the fact that the individual roller bearings are stressed by high torque impacts and, at the same time, traverse accelerations. In such cases, the impact-like stresses with high and rapidly changing angles of bending cause elastic deformations in the articulated yoke both in the region of the leg or connecting members and within the bore of the bearing part. The bore widens and generally adopts a noncircular shape. The greatest deformation of the differential-pinion shaft is, however, caused by the introduction of circumferential force. Its direction fluctuates with the positive or negative value of the operational angle of bending and also changes with each reversing operation. These influences of operational and design factors cause alignment errors with an unfavorable distribution of load into the bearings, specifically a mismatch of the bore/oblique position of the bore, flexion of the journal, a radial play in the roller bearing and the spring deflection of the roller bearing. These problems have a particular effect with a relatively rigid bearing surround in the articulated yoke and when used in heavy universal-joint propeller shafts. The consequence thereof is a nonuniform radial pressure distribution in the bore, which leads from linear to spot contact at the contact points of the roller members of the radial bearing and to excessive edge stresses.
The greatest deformation during operation when used in universal-joint drive shafts takes place in the region of the roots of the individual journals of a differential-pinion shaft, since in this case the curvature of the line of bending analogous to the bending moment is at its greatest.
For the radial bearing, this results, under the influence of the circumferential force, in an increased stressing of the roller members in the circumferential direction in the region of the bore, which causes increased edge stresses in a segment of the radial bearing, while lifting of the rollers is observable in the opposite segment. This results in a dramatic reduction of the bearing index.
The nonuniform bearing performance also results in a nonuniform loading of the individual elements of the bearing arrangement, particularly of the running tracks. This is characterized by removal of material in the region of the highly stressed points. In order to avoid this, the running tracks have in the past been subjected to an appropriate surface treatment, which is intended very largely to avoid the adverse effects of a nonuniform introduction of load. This solution, however, is very cost-intensive. Furthermore, such a solution only allows limited use of standardized bearing arrangements for universal-joint propeller shafts.